District 7B’s top-seeded Lady Cardinals needed a comeback against Elkton-Lake Benton to get out of the second round of the tournament Thursday in Dell Rapids.

After being held to two first-quarter points, St. Mary found its rhythm before regaining the lead early in the second half and holding on for the 44-36 win after a first-round bye.

St. Mary’s head coach Josh LeBrun praised his team’s defense in the come-from-behind win.

“We struggled offensively early, but our defense kept us in the game,” he said.

Senior forward Anna Wolles led the Lady Cardinals with 15 points and six rebounds. Kelly Michel added 10 points, and Lindsay Wolles had nine for St. Mary.

“Offensively we were very aggressive attacking the basket, and we converted our free throws,” LeBrun said.

The Lady Cardinals went 17 of 24 from the charity stripe and grabbed 42 rebounds on the night.

Amber Hansen, another senior forward for St. Mary, had 11 rebounds, and Ally Mullaney, a junior forward, had 10.

St. Mary started fast against Chester in the district finals, but a quick four point lead vanished minutes later and the Lady Cardinals never got it back. Chester ended St. Mary’s season with a 58-32 spanking.

Playing in the gym of the Dell Rapids High School, St. Mary couldn’t find its flow all night and never led after the the first two minutes of play.

“Offensively, we could not get into a rhythm, and we did not make shots from the outside,” LeBrun said.
Chester shot nearly 50 percent, while St. Mary mustered just a 22-percent clip.

Mullaney led the Lady Cardinals’ offense with 13 points. She also had seven rebounds.

Other contributors for St. Mary were Michel with nine points, and Hansen with seven.

“I am extremely proud of this team as a whole, and especially the seniors on this team,” LeBrun said of upper classmen Michel, Hansen, Anna Wolles and Sarah Ginsbach. “They were leaders on and off the court and have been great examples to the younger girls in our basketball program.”

LeBrun, in his second year at the helm of St. Mary girls basketball, and the Lady Cardinals finish the year with a 14-8 record.